1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to flood maps and, more specifically, to flood area change detection.
2. Description of the Related Art
The National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 1994 extended and reemphasized previous flood insurance acts by requiring federally regulated lenders not to make, increase, extend, or renew any loan on property within a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) unless flood insurance is purchased. The regulations also require flood insurance at any time during the term of a loan if it is determined that a property is within the SFHA. These designations are made and/or modified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). FEMA issues flood maps and flood map revisions on a periodic basis. Zones identified by FEMA on these maps include: A, AO, A1-A30, AE, AR, AR/AO, AR/A1-A30, AR/AE, AR/AH, AR/A99, A99, AH, VO, V1-V30, VE, V, M, E, X, and D. Zones beginning with the letters A or V are considered SFHAs, or high risk flood zones, with A-lettered zones being subject to riverine, lake overflow, ponding, or sheetflow flooding and V-lettered zones being subject to wave velocity flooding. Zone M designates mudslide prone areas and Zone E designates erosion prone areas. Zones B, C, and X designate areas which are outside of the high risk flood zone, but may still be subject to a moderate (“500 year” flood zone, or less than 1 foot depth in a “100 year” flood zone) (shaded Zone X or Zone B) or low (outside of the “500 year” flood zone) (unshaded Zone X or Zone C) flood risk. Zone D is used for areas that have not received a flood hazard evaluation, but may be subject to flooding. Zones B, C, X and D zones are not considered SFHAs.
Because of structural works and improvements, continuing studies, and corrections/additions, the flood zones for an area may change. FEMA, therefore, periodically issues updated flood maps. These updated maps may show that the flood zone classification for some of the areas on the map has changed. For example, some areas that were not in an SFHA may now be in an SFHA (and vice-versa). Lending companies must stay aware of the continuing changes to these flood maps in order to require flood insurance on applicable properties and to notify borrowers when flood insurance is no longer required.